FIVE people were killed, a family of five was missing at sea and more than a million homes and businesses lost power after Hurricane Katrina crashed ashore in southern Florida early yesterday.

A hurricane warning prompted a rush on petrol stations early today in south-east Florida, where people were advised to stock up on necessities and take safety precautions ahead of Tropical Storm Katrina.

Oil prices lifted back above a key level today after an explosion at one of BP’s refineries in the United States.

OIL prices drifted higher yesterday despite only limited supply disruptions caused by Hurricane Emily in the Gulf of Mexico.

Hurricane Emily regained dangerous Category 4 strength today, frightening storm-weary islanders in Jamaica and Cayman Islands after ravaging Grenada.

Hurricane Emily strengthened dangerously today after slamming into Grenada, where it blasted out windows and flooded two main hospitals and tore roofs from homes still damaged by last year’s storms. At least one man was killed.

Tropical Storm Emily grew to hurricane strength today as the system crossed the Windward Islands of the Caribbean, the National Centre in Miami said.

Wall Street managed a moderate advance today as investors concentrated on solid second-quarter earnings and shrugged off higher oil prices and a drop in US petroleum reserves.

THE Discovery space shuttle is counting down for blast-off, with NASA managers confident that last minute hitches would not delay today’s launch.

BRITISH stocks dropped, led by BP after a Gulf of Mexico rig was damaged by Hurricane Dennis.

The FTSE 100 Index gave up the chance to set a new three-year high today as investors reeled from probable hurricane damage to a rig owned by oil giant BP.

The Discovery space shuttle was being prepared for blast-off today, with NASA managers confident that last minute hitches would not delay tomorrow’s launch.

Shares in UK oil firm BP helped to drag the London stock market into the red today after a hurricane apparently damaged one of its new rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.

The FTSE 100 Index remained close to a three-year high today as the London market overcame a poor session for two of its biggest stocks.

Sophie Hares

Victoria Ward

US stocks extended their advance today on news of dropping oil prices and a bevy of corporate mergers.

Relieved tourists and residents gradually began returning to coastal areas in Alabama and Florida today to survey the damage left by Hurricane Dennis.

Hurricane Dennis roared quickly through the coastal areas of Alabama and north-western Florida with a 120 mph bluster of blinding squalls and crashing waves, but shellshocked residents emerged to find far less damage than when Ivan took nearly the same path 10 months ago.

At least 100 people were missing in Haiti’s south-western peninsula following floods, mudslides and the collapse of a bridge triggered by Hurricane Dennis, a UN official said today.

Thousands of tourists were evacuated from idyllic US beaches today as a monster hurricane headed their way after hitting the detention centre in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

Brian O’Mahony, Chief Business Correspondent

Thousands of tourists were evacuated from idyllic US beaches today as a monster hurricane headed their way after hitting the detention centre in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

The FTSE 100 Index finished today back above the 5200 level as investors adopted a defiant mood after yesterday’s London bombings.

The first rain from Hurricane Dennis started falling on the Florida Keys today as the storm barrelled towards the Gulf of Mexico, and forecasters warned that it might score a direct hit on the island chain.

Ten-foot waves crashed ashore in Jamaica and hundreds of islanders fled flooded homes for shelters today as Hurricane Dennis lashed Caribbean coastlines with winds whipped up to 110 mph.

Hurricane Dennis flooded roads in Haiti and threatened a direct hit on Jamaica, pushing oil prices sharply higher and becoming the second storm to threaten oil output in the Gulf of Mexico.